X and Y!
by Tambear
Summary: Prequel to "Friends, Family and Feckin' Idiots!"    How did Arthur catch Gwen cheating on him and what was his reaction and everybody elses?


**This is my prequel story to "Friends, Family and Feckin' Idiots!"**

**Title from the brilliantt album by Coldplay!**

How I wish I owned but sadly I don't - only took them out to play! no profit made!

Enjoy =D

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><p>"God dammit!" Arthur huffed, rummaging around the disarray on his desk.<p>

"What's wrong?" Morgana asked lazily from the couch in the corner of his office.

"Can't find my phone," he said, running his hands through his hair. "Must have left it in Gwen's."

"Well run over and get it. You're finished for the day, no need for you to be here really and say a proper goodbye," she smirked at her brother.

"I'm only going for two weeks, besides she'll be at work anyway."

"Fine, fine – just go get it." Morgana said, standing and walking over to him, she gave him a quick hug, "why don't you stay tonight and Leon can drop you to the airport in the morning?"

"Yes, ok – I'll be over after I've gone round to father's."

"Good," she patted his arm, moving towards the door. "Don't let him bully you into staying longer, we need you here, not in New York."

"Yes, Sir," He grinned as she disappeared out of his office.

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><p>Arthur let himself into Gwen's flat, shivering after the cold of outside. He put the bunch of flowers he'd bought on the counter – they'd be a nice surprise when she got home work. Gwen was constantly telling him that he worked too much and rarely did anything remotely romantic – unless expensive gifts and meals counted, which apparently they didn't. He knew she liked flowers and made a note to buy more for her.<p>

He looked around frowning, there was music coming from down the hall and her handbag was still on the kitchen table – where it had been when he had left that morning. There was a luke-warm cup of coffee on the counter and was that Lance's scarf over a chair?

He spotted his phone by the kettle, but left it to go see if she really was at home. He smiled to himself, he could surprise her! Have an afternoon tumble – that'd show her that she meant more to him than the office.

He stopped outside, the ajar, bedroom door. The Coldplay album she'd bought last week was playing, but under the soft tones of Chris Martin he could hear deep, ragged breathing.

Then he heard a deep, long moan.

"_Gwen,"_ someone said, in a ragged voice. Arthur froze, his heart plummeting. He knew that voice, far too well – though he'd never heard it like that before.

He tentively put his hand on the door and pushed in lightly.

He suddenly felt like vomiting but he couldn't move.

There in bed, one which he had vacated not four hours before, was the woman he loved and his best friend.

They didn't notice him standing in the doorway. He wasn't sure they'd notice if the building next door blew up.

There Gwen was, her strong legs wrapped around Lance's waist, her head thrown back in ecstasy and eyes screwed shut. A silent cry on her lips. Lance was rocking his hips and suckling on her breast.

Everything came crashing down around Arthur, he wanted to rage and shout and call them all manner of names. Demand to know what were they thinking but it all died on his tongue.

He was so angry, so hurt and he felt so betrayed.

Slowly he turned and walked back to the kitchen, he grabbed his phone, took the keys Gwen had given him out of his pocket and put them on the table and left as quietly as he had arrived.

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><p>"You're looking happy," Morgana observed walking into Uther's office.<p>

"Yes, I am rather pleased," Uther beamed at his daughter, taking the offered files.

"Dare I ask why?"

"Arthur's decided to take the job in New York."

"What?" Morgana gasped.

"Yes," Uther smiled fondly, "I was rather surprised but it will be a great move for him. He'll assume control of the office, get him ready to take the reins here someday."

Morgana sat down, looking stricken. "Did he say why?"

"No," Uther shook his head, "came in about an hour ago and informed me. He's gone to sort everything out."

"But," she paused, Uther looked at her – shaken by the look on her face.

"Morgana, what's the matter?"

"What changed his mind?"

"I've no idea," Uther waved his hand, dismissing Morgana from his office. He was a very busy and didn't have time to deal with whatever it was that was annoying his daughter now. "He might still be in his office, go ask him yourself."

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><p>"Oh Lance, darling, they're beautiful!" Gwen beamed at him as he entered the kitchen in his t-shirt and boxers.<p>

"Huh?" He asked, looking confused.

"The flowers," she shook her head, exasperated. He never was the smartest after sex. "Thank you," she leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"What flowers?" He stepped back startled. Gwen looked at him puzzled, then pointed to the bouquet she had just put in water.

"Where'd they come from?" He asked, walking over to the sink.

"They were here on the counter, you didn't... I mean... What?" Gwen's heart started to pound, and she looked flustered.

"No, I... Gwen what's wrong?" Lance asked, walking back to her concerned.

She glanced around the kitchen, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Oh god," she cried, clapping a hand over her mouth, suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Her eyes darting from where she knew Arthur's phone had been to the keys on the table. She turned and bolted from the room, barely making it to the bathroom before she threw up.

Lance stood frozen, realisation dawning as he looked at the keys, with the keyring of a dragon that Gwaine had given... Arthur.

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><p>Morgana threw herself into Leon's arms when he walked into Arthur's flat.<p>

"Shush," Leon cooed, holding his wife to his chest, running a hand threw her hair.

"I'm going to kill them," she screamed, muffled slightly by Leon's jumper.

"I know, baby girl," Leon said trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He was going beat Lance to a pulp next time he saw him.

Morgana pulled away, her eyes fierce and stomped over to the couch.

Leon went to the kitchen to make tea, before settling down beside her. She was staring into space, fiddling with a small box.

"What's that?" Leon asked.

Morgana looked up, startled, as if she had forgotten he was there. She passed the box to him. Leon gasped as he opened it, sitting in the red velvet was a beautiful diamond ring.

"It was Arthur's mothers. He was going to get it fitted in New York," she took a ragged breath, smacking her thigh. "That bitch," she hissed taking a sip of tea.

They sat in silence, both brooding. Morgana alternating between staring into space and hitting something with venom.

Leon was having a hard time believing that Gwen or even Lance could do something like this. He had started at his phone in shock when he had received the text from Morgana telling him not worry about getting beer in, Arthur was leaving straight away and he wouldn't be back.

"Did he, em, speak to her?" He asked hesitantly.

"No," Morgana answered, "he said he couldn't stand to look at her or even speak to her."

"Ok..." Leon curled his hands into fists.

Arthur had been his closest friend for as long as he could remember, he spent most of childhood in the Pendragon house. He would follow Arthur anywhere, and Pendragon senior often mused that his house had grown him another child.

Then Morgana had arrived when he was ten and he had an extra reason, much to Arthur's disgust, to hang out at the house.

Then the boys had gone off to boarding school and Leon only got to see Morgana during the holidays. Arthur had grumbled and given out and constantly made it known that Leon belonged to him.

But by the time they were finished school and were heading off to university, Arthur cornered Leon and asked him wasn't it time he pulled his finger out and asked her on a date.

Later, one very drunken night in their shared dorm room Arthur had confessed that he was delighted that they were together, because when Leon married his sister, they really would be brothers.

Arthur had always been there for him, sticking up for him when he was bullied, picking him up off the bathroom floor when he passed out drunk in his own vomit and helping him pick out the ring for Morgana when he finally grew the balls to ask. Arthur had been his best-man at the wedding, and had promised to murder him if he ever hurt his sister.

Now Arthur was gone, and Leon hadn't been there to help him.

His phone ringing ripped him from his thoughts, he glanced down at the screen.

**Incoming call: **_**Gwaine 07873234095**_

"It's Gwaine," he told Morgana before answering.

"Listen dude, I know it's a bit late and all but we've got loads of drink here," Gwaine rambled, clearly already on his way to being three sheets to the wind, "and I know Morgana wanted a quiet night."

"Gwaine..." Leon tried to interrupt but the Irishman was something of a runaway horse once he got started.

"But I really think it'd be better if we all got drunk tonight, I mean you didn't even go to the pub last night." Gwaine whined, "and I know, I know he's going for a few days or whatever but I didn't get to say a proper goodbye," there was a drunken giggle down the line.

"Gwaine," Leon tried again only to be cut off.

"Besides, we all know the best way to fly is hung-over, he can sleep it off and he wont be jetlagged. I mean I did try calling the princess himself, but he's not answering and I assume he's there with you two so please, please, please come over!"

Leon looked at Morgana, who had a slight smirk on her lips, hearing Gwaine's rambling.

"Pretty please with a cherry on top!" Gwaine sang shrilly. Morgana snatched the phone out of Leon's hand.

"We'll be there in a bit," Morgana said, hanging up on Gwaine's delighted shriek.

"He doesn't know," Leon said.

"Way to state the obvious," Morgana quibbled.

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><p>Gwaine sat down heavily, the cheery look vanishing from his face. Percy looked concerned and moved around the back of the sofa, putting a hand on his shoulder.<p>

"Gone?" He asked, a tremble in his voice.

Gwaine's love for Arthur was legendary, they had met one night in the university student bar and after many pints and shots, had stumbled into the toilets to suck each other off. Starting a dangerous and explosive relationship that lasted two months, before they came to their senses and decided to just be each other's fuck buddies, as neither were suited to commitment. But the unyielding affection remained, and always would.

"Yeah," Morgana said, "he should be boarding soon."

"Right," Gwaine gulped.

Just then the front door opened, emitting a scared looking Lance with a puffy eyed Gwen trailing behind.

Morgana hissed and took a step forward but Gwaine got there first. He was across the room before Percy could restrain him and promptly knocked Lance to the floor. Leon and Percy grabbed him, pulling him back before he could land another one on Lance.

Tears were streaming down Gwen's face as she knelt to help Lance up.

"You cunts!" Gwaine roared, voice cracking.

"I'm so sorry," Gwen sobbed.

"Sorry?" Morgana hissed, now that Percy had a firm grip on Gwaine, Leon hovered unsure where to stand. Gwaine could probably do more physical damage but Morgana could be lethal, he had a scar from a thrown hair-dyer on his head to prove it.

"Where is he?" Lance asked, not looking at anyone, cradling his jaw in his hand.

"Gone, you arse!" Gwaine fumed, "he left and he's not coming back!"

"What?" Gwen said in a small voice.

"He's gone to New York, taken the job he wasn't going to take because he didn't want to leave you," Percy stated coldly, not looking at Gwen.

"Oh god," Gwen sobbed.

"Save your tears for someone who gives a shit," Morgana said, looking at her 'best friend' in contempt.

"Morgana, please," Gwen said.

"How? How could you do it?" Gwaine asked quietly, shrugging out of Percy's grip and looking at Lance.

"We were just drawn to each other, I couldn't help myself..." Gwen started.

"You couldn't help yourself?" Gwaine roared, Leon and Percy stepped toward him. "He loved you!" Gwen flinched from the venom in Gwaine's voice.

"I know and I'm so sorry," She broke down crying.

"I let him go," Gwaine said, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "I told him to love you, that you were right for him. That you would love him more than I could, that you would make a prefect bride."

Gwen covered her face, her body shaking with uncontrolled tears as Lance stood helpless.

"And you do this..." Gwaine threw his hands up in the air and walked to the kitchen.

They all stood in silence, no one knowing where to look.

"Morgana..." Gwen said nervously, once her tears were back under control.

"You stupid bitch, I don't know how he could ever have loved someone like you."

"Morgana," Gwen pleaded, "please, I need to talk to him, try to explain..."

"He doesn't want to see you and he doesn't want to hear from you and neither do I. You're both dead to me."

Gwaine came back out of the kitchen, a crate of beer in his hands. He put the box on the table, he took out four bottles, taking a swig from one. He took another out, looking up at Lance before tossing it to him.

"Just don't speak to me, in fact don't even look at me," Gwaine snarled, sitting with his back on Lance. "You live here, so it's not I kick you out – just stay out of my way."

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><p>"Arthur please answer your phone, please I need to talk to you. I love you so much, I'm so sorry. I waited for years for you and I don't know why or how but I fell in love with Lan..."<p>

Arthur deleted the voicemail, his phone had been going off since the middle of the day with calls and texts from Gwen and Lance but he hadn't responded, he couldn't. Not yet anyway.

"I'm sorry Sir but you need to switch your phone off for take off," the flight attendant smiled down at him.

"Of course," he nodded.

"Can I get you anything?" She inquired.

"Scotch, no ice," he said smoothly.

She moved off to get his drink and he looked around the first class cabin. The girl in the seat across from him was subtly cheaking him out. He smirked, eyeing her up too. She blushed when she noticed, biting her lip lightly.

"I'm Sophia," she said in a soft, sweet voice. She was really very pretty.

"Arthur Pendragon," he smiled at her, taking a sip of his freshly deposited scotch.

"Pendragon?" Sophia asked, her eyes widening.

"Yes," he smiled smugly, Gwen used to hate how they could never go anywhere without someone knowing Arthur's name or at least knowing the company. She certainly hadn't liked all the woman fawning over him. "Going to be New York long?"

"Oh, just passing through," she smiled.

"Well," he leaned forward, "You'll have to stay at least one night."

Her blush was very endearing, he felt guilt run through him for a second but then shut in down as quick as he could. After all, he was single now, going to the city of dreams and he wasn't going to mop around like a fool.

His heart may have been shattered into a million little pieces, but the best way to get over someone was to get under someone else. And he could start with Sophia.

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><p><strong>Reviews would be lovely :) <strong>

Thanks for reading!


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